A dance trainer affiliated with HYBE, recognized for working with BTS, has been abruptly terminated amid allegations of fraud exceeding 5 billion KRW (approximately 3.9 million USD). In addition to the massive fraud allegations, the former HYBE employee is facing criminal charges for the deceit.
Former BTS Dance Trainer Faces Massive Fraud Allegations
The individual, associated with HYBE’s label, BigHit Music, faced dismissal on November 20, following accusations of involvement in fraudulent activities totaling tens of billions of KRW, resulting in criminal charges. The allegations suggest that the dance trainer, posing as an investment opportunity, collected significant sums from victims but failed to return the funds, leading to their termination and legal consequences.
Since then, HYBE issued a statement about the former employee. “As soon as we became aware of our member’s misconduct and the damage it caused to the company, we promptly initiated an impartial investigation through an external law firm. After undergoing the dismissal process by the Disciplinary and Personnel Committee, we terminated the individual’s employment,” it read.
A, BTS’s dance trainer, fired from HYBE on charges of fraud and embezzlement
A is reported to have extorted over 5 billion won from HYBE, fellow choreographers & composers, and business partners
A was using HYBE’s name to promote investment for discovering or making new songs pic.twitter.com/BEFmi10Ill
— The Seoul Story (@theseoulstory) November 20, 2023
“This case involves the individual’s misconduct, which violated internal rules, regulations, and employment rules,” the statement continued. “We strictly prohibit members from exploiting internal information, positions, etc., for personal gain and engaging in illegal and unfair activities.”
“To prevent fraudulent actions, such as leveraging connections with the company or its artists for personal gain, and to mitigate the likelihood of future incidents, we are committed to offering external guidance on fraud prevention. Additionally, we will strengthen our governance system for ethics education and fair trade for all our members, taking substantial steps to enhance our internal control systems,” the statement added.
The incident has garnered widespread public attention due to the individual’s association with HYBE and their prominent role in the entertainment industry. For now, the agency has confirmed that they will proceed with proper legal procedures.